We in Goa, are coming out of another lock down. Marmugoa is still locked down. The three day lock down gave rise to speculation about why it was ordered rather than make the population feel safe. The moot question was, would a three day lock down (was it a half lock down or half open) make any difference to the mighty mite?
We are seeing a spike in cases and the daily number was quickly approaching a figure, cricketers consider a huge achievement, 200 plus. There is a difference between containment zone and lock down. There is a feeling that had Mangor Hill area been declared a containment zone the damage would have been far less. The government should tell us what they hoped to achieve with the night curfew and three day lock down and then what were the results post the lock down. Did it help in anyway?
There is a school of thought that believes lock downs are the best way to tackle this mighty mite. One can agree that, at the start i.e. in March 2020, it may have been a good idea and everyone was locked in, slowly exceptions crept it. If everyone is locked in, it is a fair and level playing field. It also, at that time gave the administration a chance to get their act together and fortify the health system. Now, it has outlived it usefulness. Containment zones maybe more useful and easier to enforce. Those badly effected by a lock down are the daily wagers. Those who can afford to stay home cannot grow their veggies in their balconies, they have to depend on a supply chain, meaning someone is out there keeping you alive, so what lock down are we talking about.? People, i.e. police, doctors, nurses, delivery boys, grocery stores, pharmacies, fish, vegetable vendors and the list can go on……are out there working, just to keep you alive, so please think before asking or suggesting a lock down.
This mighty mite is just a shadow away from springing up again and as yet we have no way to eliminate it. The good part is, we are now beginning to understand it a little more. Initially, given the fatalities, especially in Italy, it was seen a really dreaded sickness. Now as more and more patients recover, there is hope. It is also becoming clearer that this mighty mite, loves confrontation. However, if left alone or rather the patient stays isolated it kind of dies of boredom.
The police are doing a good job maintaining law and order, but sometimes there is a need to have uniform sets of responses to COVID situations. Not a single person had a problem at the wholesale fish market at any time, yet many small traders had to face the ire of the men in uniform over customers not adhering to social distancing or the shop being open beyond the stipulated time. While grocery stores and super markets were allowed to be open during the recent three day lock down, in some parts of South Goa they were shut, and allowed to open finally only on Sunday. Different strokes for different folks, surely the top brass can coordinate quickly, when interpreting an order, then all officers can be on the same page.
We are learning to deal with the mighty mite. We, now believe that every victim does not require hospitalisation. “Home isolation” is a tried and tested protocol that reduces load on infrastructure, provides better care, and removes the fear and stigma associated with COVID. Delhi has tried this successfully. It is something Goa can easily copy and is the need of the hour given the stretched and stressed medical infrastructure. The industrial estates have begun to look at the possibility of having COVID care centres for asymptomatic patients. Hotels, which are struggling to get tourists can now convert their hotels into quarantine centres for asymptomatic patients. They have the infrastructure in place, they need to put in the required protocols.
The bureaucracy has to get out of percentage thinking as a response to the challenges faced due to COVID. They have come out with these rules based on percentages for education and hospitals. First, 30% reduction in syllabus, does that mean a kid will learn only addition and subtraction and multiplication will be left out? Or will the portion left out because it is not important be brought back later when things normalise, but it was not important, right?
Second, 20% ICU beds to be reserved for COVID patients. So if a hospital has four ICU beds what do they do? Or if they have five, clearly one will be reserved. A COVID patient in an ICU ward, where the other patients immunity is already compromised, will it not be dangerous. How will the staff operate inside the ICU. And will the license be cancelled if the beds are occupied when a COVID patient arrives as there is no space? Usually ICU are a big hall with curtains rather than walls separating patients and 100% of them are climate controlled, a strict no no, given COVID handling protocols. Would it not be better if they asked some hospitals to volunteer their ICU’s exclusively for COVID patients? It would be a good idea to include a few doctors apart from the CM in the decision making advisory body.
Lets us remember we are fighting the virus and not the victims. Wash your hands, wear your mask, maintain social distance and STAY SAFE.
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